#Oh hector you goob :) of course dorte is going to eat the flowers

[cursedbluebird]

"Uh, happy birthday, Marianne!"

He's practising.

He's nervous and he isn't sure why.

He straightens his necktie some. Blasted uncomfortable piece of-- whatever. Whatever. He'll deal with it. Running a hand through hair slicked back, he heaves a sigh. What's a guy to do?

Anyway, he doesn't like sounding hesitant. It just isn't him, you know?

Brows furrowed at his self in the mirror, marquess departs with a huff to go find the birthday girl.

When in Fodlan, do as the Fodlan folk do-- and what Fodlan does on birthdays is flowers.

"Ah, a friend's birthday at hand, is it?"

"... Yeah. I guess?" They are friends, right?

The merchant winked. "Oh, I see. Fret not! What kind of flowers for the lucky lady - or lad, as it were - then?"

At once, Hector flushed, mind reeling-- "Don't misunderstand me-"

"Might I suggest roses?"

Roses?

Hector'd never had a mind to pay attention to flowers, not really. Gaze skipped toward the flowers in question that the merchant was so eagerly attempting to hawk. Sure, they were pretty enough, he supposed...?

"Sure...?"

"Red, then, yes? Twelve?"

Hector shrugged. "... How about all of the colours?" Girls appreciated colourful things, right? He thought back to the head of pink and the head of purple back home. And then Marianne here, with her blue.

"Yes, of course, let me- wait, what?!"

And so, Hector finds the elusive girl in one of the usual spots - by her animal friends. For a moment, he feels on guard - Dorte had better not try to eat his gift. "Oi, Marianne!" he calls over. Yes. Smooth. Exactly as he'd practised - except not. Eh. It'll do.

He practically thrusts the flowers forward in a marked absence of grace - but maybe his sunny grin makes up for it?

"Happy birthday!!"